Kaleidoscope Eyes
by kittasee
Summary: When proper but mischievous socialite Vera Sinclair unwillingly falls for a newsie, she must choose between the life she had always known and the spark of love while her best friend makes a decision that will shake New York City to the core.
1. Happenstance

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters created by Disney that are used in Newsies, though I do own my original characters. In addition, Millicent Willson is a real historical figure, and though I try to be a historically accurate as possible, I do take liberties with her character. Thanks for reading! xx

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><p>A young girl dressed in scarlet ducked off the train into the torrential rain and sweeping crowds of New York. She had missed the city when she had left some four years ago to live with her aunt in Vermont, after her mother died and her father insisted she reside within the presence of another woman until the whole growing up business was sorted out. She was seventeen now, and deemed old enough to go back and live with her father. Scanning the crowd on the tips of her toes, she looked for her father, a wealthy man with graying hair and an amiable disposition. She squirmed through the crowd with the two heavy suitcases locked in her hands, the rain soaking her hair and clothes. Breathing in deeply, she smiled to herself. Cigarette smoke and car exhaust from the Model T's lingering in front of the train station mixed to form the peculiar scent of New York- busy and unforgiving. At the back of the crowd she spied a small sign, the black letters reading "Welcome Back, Ms. Sinclair!" that were beginning to run due to the rain. Transferring one suitcase to her other hand, she gathered up her skirt and maneuvered her way to the sign as fast as she could. Seeing her father, she ran to him as he opened his arms for an embrace. She dropped her suitcases at his feet and gave him a tight hug. He picked her up and spun her around, setting her back on her feet quickly.<p>

"I missed you, Vera." Said her dad, quietly. "It's lonely without you." He smiled, but Vera saw the hollowness behind his eyes. He had never been the same since her mother passed, and now Vera was back to pick up the broken pieces.

"I'm home now, father." She said, hoisting up the bags at her feet with a bright smile. "For good." She declared. Mr. Sinclair offered his arm, and she gladly took it as he hailed a taxi. The ride was short and quiet as Vera Sinclair reclaimed her urban life in the madness of New York City.

-VERA-

Of course I missed my dad, it goes without saying. Vermont was pleasant enough, but my true home would always be Manhattan. I was only half-listening to him ramble on about the news as I took in the familiar but forgotten surroundings. As we quickly climbed the stairs to their home to escape the rain, I ducked under the eaves of the building and looked around at my street. The cloud cover made it dark, but it was still the same street I knew and loved. I remembered often getting scolded by mum for playing around with chalk, doodling up and down the sidewalk as long as the sun was out. As I glanced across the street, I saw that the light was on in the building across from ours. The girl who lived there, Millie Willson, was my age, and we had always been in classes together when we were younger. I would go so far as to say she was my best friend, only because I didn't have that many friends, and I mostly kept to myself. I wondered if she remembered me. We had corresponded a few times when I was in Vermont, but we lost contact after that.

"…and Vera, the newsboys are thinking about going on strike, those unimportant hooligans." My father spat. "You have no idea what that'd do for the economy, you see… it's all very complicated, with inflation prices and…"

"Mmhmm. Dad, can I pop in to Millie's house? I want to say hello." I said, sweetly. He shrugged.

"Don't see why not. Come back after you're done though, I'm making dinner." He patted me on the head and went inside, leaving me to make my way to the Willson's house alone. I covered my head with my arms as I ran across the street, the rain still coming down, but lighter than before. I hopped under the Willson's awning and attempted to run my fingers through my hair to deem myself presentable. After a little, I gave up, the rain dealing crippling damage to my messy strands. I knocked on her door, and a pretty young woman with a head of dark waves and shining eyes opened it. It had been four years, but I'd recognize that face anywhere.

"Hi, what can I do for you?" Millie asked briskly.

"Hello, Millie." I said, pleasantly. I saw her face transform from confusion to recognition, and she flung her arms around me in a tight hug.

"Vera Sinclair!" she said, pulling back to look at me. "My, look at you! Oh, I haven't seen you in ages! Are you visiting from Vermont?" She spoke rapidly, words tumbling out of her mouth at an impossible speed.

"I'm here for good!" I said, smiling. "Just came to say hi. Father's waiting on me for dinner. So what are you doing these days?" I asked, curious. She smiled mischievously.

"I'm a dancer, now, Vera!" she squealed, delighted. "I'm on Broadway and everything! I'm a bicycle girl for Herald Square… it's a laugh! You should come!" She was bouncing on the balls of her feet, whether she realized it or not.

"Congratulations, that's amazing!" I exclaimed, though I wasn't surprised in the least. Millie had always been a dramatic girl. I was glad it was being channeled into her career, because all of that theatricality would explode if wasn't. I promised her to come to a show sometime, and I hugged her goodbye. The rain had stopped and the clouds began to dissipate as Millie shut her door and I turned back to my house.

Night was falling and I walked quickly down her steps, shivering as my dress was still damp from the rain earlier. As I crossed the empty street, I looked up to stars that were starting to peek out, and silently made a wish on the first one that I saw. All of the sudden, I collided with something very solid. I stumbled and twisted, ending up on the ground, thoroughly confused. I looked up, and saw a boy, a stack of newspapers under his arm. A newsboy, my mind supplied.

"Sorry, Miss." He murmured, his voice low and husky. He stuck out his hand to help me up, but by that time I had already bounced up and was brushing myself off. He was significantly taller than me, and half of his mouth was pulled up in a crooked smile. He had dark, curly hair and eyes to match, his skin tanned from spending all of his life on the streets. I half- smiled back, and fished in the pocket of my coat for some money. I took out a quarter and dropped it into his still open palm, deftly sliding a newspaper out from the crook of his arm in one smooth move.

"Thank you." I said, now grinning. He tipped his cap and I scooted around him, walking up the stairs to my house. I opened the door and was about to slip inside when he cleared his throat. I turned around, knowing what he was going to ask.

"Keep the change." I said with another smile, and closed the door.


	2. The Third Degree

-MUSH-

I was left slightly bewildered as the door closed in my face. Looking down at the quarter in my hand, I closed my fingers around it tightly and shoved it in my pocket. This was more money than I'd ever had in one place: I was solid for a the girl- why, she was something else. Fiery hair and kaleidoscope eyes that flashed bright, even in the near-dark. Mulling over incoherent thoughts, I walked back to the boarding house, which was six blocks away, keeping a tight hold of the quarter. The walk was over before I knew it. As soon as I reached the ramshackle boarding house, I hid the quarter in my boot, and tramped up the steps and tried to quietly open the door. Kloppman was sitting by his desk as usual. His eyes didn't even flick up to meet mine.

"You're a little late, Mush. You're not usually the last one back." He said, keeping his eyes on the newspaper in his hand.

"I gots a little distracted." I said, truthfully. Kloppman finally looked me in the eye, raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything else. I made my way up to my bed in the bunkroom, which was unusually quiet. Was I that late? Peeking over the banister, I noticed I was indeed the last one back, and all the other kids were in their beds conversing about the day. I tried to slip in without anyone noticing me, but I rolled my eyes as I saw Racetrack roll out of his bed and sidle up beside me.

"Where ya been, Mush?" he said, slapping me on the back. I ignored the sting of the five star.

"Whaddya mean, Race?" I tried to laugh it off. "I'm here now, ain't I?" Race obviously didn't buy it and lowered his voice.

"Mush, ya look like ya just saw Pulitzer explode. Ya got dis weird look on your face."

"Whattya guys talkin' about? Sounds suspicious." Strut peeked her head over her place in the top bunk, half asleep. "Oy, Race, what's goin' on?" She looked back and forth from Racetrack to me. I was weirded out at first by the two girl newsies- Strut and Quirk- to be sharing our bunks, but by now we were all desensitized to it… they were like our little sisters. They'd been here for a couple of years, and they were no different than any other newsies- except they probably sold more papes for the sole fact that they were both scarily good at crying on the spot. Strut was originally Clara, but the way she walked in like she owned the place, she could never have been called anything different. Quirk, on the other hand, formerly Maura, was a little harder to find a name for. She went unnamed for about a week before Kid Blink himself decided that it should be Quirk. We all agreed that Strut and Quirk were practically perfect names for these two girls, so they stuck. Quirk popped her head out of the bottom bunk and looked at me, resting her chin on the headboard.

"Mush, what've ya been up to?" she said.

"Guys, I haven't been doing nothing." I said defensively. I saw Quirk crane her neck up to look at Strut and they both exchanged a devilish smile.

"I'm gonna go wash up." I said, trying to escape. I half- ran to the empty bathroom and quickly dunked my head into a bucket of water to come to my senses. I could still feel the quarter lodged in my boot. I let my mind drift and relive what had happened as I brushed my teeth. Why didn't she let me help her up? She's a lady, after all. A proper one, by the quarter she pulled so easily out of her pocket. She wouldn't think of me twice. I sighed, but suddenly I felt a push that snapped me out of my reverie.

"Mush, ya been brushin' your teeth for ten minutes." smiled Strut. She was standing with Quirk. They both had their arms crossed with smug looks on their faces.

"Whattya guys getting' at?" I said, crossing my arms. They looked at each other.

"Ya met a goil." They said in unison, cracking smiles. A look of shock flew across my face before I had time to respond. I knew that it was telling sign, and I furrowed my eyebrows in defeat.

"Nah, I didn't." I said, standing on my last leg. Strut and Quirk were relentless, and had some weird kind of power that made them sense when you weren't telling them the whole truth. Quirk raised her eyebrow.

"Mush, 'ard as it is to believe, we're goils, too." She said.

"Yeah, we can help!" added Strut.

"So, who was she?" Quirk butted in. "Ya usually brag about dese kind of things. Why ya keepin' dis one quiet?"

"Dunno," I confessed, "I just sold 'er a pape on 17th street." I shrugged my shoulders, trying to look nonchalant.

"Whad' she look like?" asked Strut. This was like an interrogation.

"Red dress. Proper type. Guys, it was nothin'." I said, trying to escape. This was embarrassing. I didn't even know her. I'd probably never see her again. It doesn't even matter. I scowled.

"I'm goin' to bed." I said, and shoved past them. They just said goodnight and giggled. As I lay in my bed, I pulled the covers up over my head to try and drown out the sound of them talking. Talking about me. I only heard snatches of the conversation, but it was enough.

"….Ya know he's a lady's man….."

"….see the look in his eyes?..."

"…wonder who she is….. find her!"

"….bring her back 'ere….. whad' she think?..."

I rolled over.

"Shaddup." I groaned. They stopped talking, but I heard the muffled giggles coming from their bunk. I drifted off into a restless sleep, keeping tight hold of the quarter that now resided under my pillow.


End file.
